As peace talks to end Sudan's civil war between the Muslim-dominated North and the Christian-dominated South recently crumbled, a solution to end the mass killings in Darfur (a region in Sudan) seems bleak. While it has been acknowledged by most of the world that the Sudanese government unleashes Arab Janjaweed militias that attack African villagers, Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir has denied that the Darfur conflict even exists, and that the villagers are dying from starvation and disease.
Recently, Janjaweed militias have launched a new attack in Southern Darfur, resulting in many United Nations and other aid workers being forced to flee the area because of the increase in violence. Andrew Natsios, a special envoy from the White House to Sudan, has stated that he is "deeply concerned with the health of the north-south peace deal," and warned, "The risk of clash is high." While it is a step in the right direction that the U.S. government does recognize the problems that plague Sudan, when will they step up to the plate and do something constructive to end Darfur's genocide?
Both the United Nations and the United States have unsuccessfully tried to negotiate as well as use sanctions when dealing with the Sudanese government in an effort to end the genocide. Even if sanctions were to be implemented, however, Sudan could still rely on their strong ties with China, and continue to give China oil in exchange for other goods, making sanctions by the UN and U.S. pointless.
While it is very difficult for me to advocate the use of force as a solution, I think that this is unfortunately the only viable option remaining. Our history is marked by instances in which we had to use force to end mass killings, such as the Holocaust. We cannot allow the situation in Darfur to escalate into a situation similar to the 1994 Rwandan genocide, in which at least 800,000 people were killed. Looking the other way will not make the situation disappear.
The only option left is to dissolve the current Sudanese government that is responsible for these atrocious acts, and the only way that this can be done is through the use of force. We must stop continuously worrying about what China's reaction will be if we remove the current government in Sudan, causing a disruption in their trade relationship. Instead, we must realize crimes against humanity are morally wrong, and whether we like it or not, we have constructed our duty as being peace bearers to the rest of the world.
Will there be bloodshed if U.S. troops enter Sudan? The answer is more than likely yes, but we must take into account how many lives will be saved if this government is removed from power. The Sudanese people should have the right to not constantly worry about their villages being burned down, or their families being attacked. Hopefully, the United States and the rest of the world will realize this before it is too late.